The orange throated darter is related to the walleye pike, sauger, and perch. The majority of the darter species are less than four inches in length, and they are found in abundance throughout North America.

The female has a dull olive color with patches of orange and blue, while the male darter has a metallic blue and green bars on the sides of its body with fins that are bright blue green in colors.

Orange throated darters prefer to live in pools in small streams with gravel and sand bottoms. Darters often spawn around March and April , and the eggs usually hatch in about 10 days.